


There's a Luz loose in my garden

by Evilsnotbag



Series: The Owl House 'Lunar Eclipse' AU [4]
Category: The Owl House (Cartoon)
Genre: Angst, Blood and Injury, Brief nudity!, Budding Romance, Chronic Illness, Chronic Pain, Cramps, Embarrassment, F/F, Feelings, Fluff, Friendship, Gardening!, Hurt/Comfort, Illustrated, Lumity, Menstruation, Mentions of Blood, Mild Blood, Sisterhood, Sisters, Sketches, Slow Burn, funny?, slowburn
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-29
Updated: 2020-05-29
Packaged: 2021-03-03 00:14:33
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 15,907
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24445645
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Evilsnotbag/pseuds/Evilsnotbag
Summary: The continuation to Boiling Drain!Amity and Luz head to Lilith's house to complete the second half of their punishment for eavesdropping on their mentors. The day doesn't exactly go as expected.Caution/TW/CW: Periods, mentions of blood, extremely embarrassing situations, brief nudity, mentions of violence against children.
Relationships: Amity Blight & Lilith Clawthorne, Amity Blight/Luz Noceda, Eda Clawthorne & Lilith Clawthorne, Eda Clawthorne & Luz Noceda
Series: The Owl House 'Lunar Eclipse' AU [4]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1765585
Comments: 73
Kudos: 433





	There's a Luz loose in my garden

**Author's Note:**

> Hello, welcome to my vent fic. It is very venty. If you’ve read “Own your narrative”, “Amity’s calamity” and “Boiling drain” (in that order), this story will be a lot easier to follow. Yes, highly recommend reading those (or at least Boiling drain) for context. But it’s not mandatory so potato.  
> Hopefully this is also a good story, apart from being a good way to vent. It was very cathartic and honestly sometimes really fun to write, which is something I haven’t experienced in a while, so that was very nice. I always say it’s been rough lately. Maybe it’s just rough, permanently.  
> PS. To the people who want more Lumity, this story is for you. To the people who want more Eda and Luz interaction, this story is for you. For the very few people that want more Amity and Lilith interaction, this story is absolutely for you.  
> Please leave a comment, they bring me joy.

#  ****There’s a Luz loose in my garden** **

####  ************* **

“Alright, kid, _best_ behavior,” Eda adjusted her hood and glanced around. She did _not_ want to be seen in this neighborhood. “If you wreck something of hers, I’ll _never_ hear the end of it. I’ll pick you up around dusk. Got your sandwiches?”

“Yup!” Luz patted her shoulder bag. “I can’t believe I’m gonna see a real witch’s garden!” she squeaked excitedly.

“Rein it in, Luz, this is supposed to be a punishment.”

“Oh, right,” Luz put her hands behind her back and looked meek.

“ _Very_ convincing. It’s down that street,” Eda gestured vaguely to the far side of the alley they were lurking in. “Hang a left, it’s the big place with metal eagles or whatever round the gate.” She held up a finger and gave Luz a look. “Best. Behavior.”

“Yes, ma’am.” Luz nodded seriously.

“See you later, kid,” Eda grinned and ruffled Luz’s hair. She hopped on her staff and soared away. Luz watched her out of sight, then had to just jump up and down with joy.

“I’m gonna see a witch’s garden!” She squeaked and pumped her arms, then twirled around.

She bounded down the alley and out onto the street. This was the broadest and cleanest street Luz had seen since she’d come to the Boiling Isles. There were big, fancy looking shops all along the street and people in extravagant clothes meandered up and down, talking and laughing. Luz looked into every window, eagerly taking in every detail. She lingered the longest by a bakery. The cakes on display made her mouth water.

“Mmmmgo do the thing, go do the thing,” she told herself as she reluctantly tore her eyes away from the deliciousness. “I can always come back afterward. Find the place, find the place. Left, big place, metal birds.” She looked around. There were only shops around her. Must be further down the street then.

“M’yeah, that’s a big place,” Luz mumbled as she stepped up to the gate. It was more than three times her height. The white stone walls to either side were about two and a half Luzs. She could see a long, gravelled drive leading to a _huge_ house. There were _lawns,_ plural. There were shrubs cut into different kinds of birds. There was a fountain.

“ _Fancy_ ,” she breathed. She stared for a moment, then looked at the time. She was a little early. Should she go in? There wasn’t a buzzer anywhere she could see. Maybe she could climb the gate? It _looked_ pretty climbable.

 _No!_ ** _ **Best behavior**_** _, Luz,_ she told herself. _Just wait!_

She bounced on her heels impatiently.

####  ********* **

Amity looked at the ground as she walked down the path at the edge of the forest. Miss Clawthorne - _Lilith_ (it was hard for Amity to change how she addressed her mentor, even in her own head) had come up with the idea to “invite” Amity to study the rare plants in her garden, for extra credit, to cover the fact that it was a punishment. Her parents had been thrilled. Miss Cl - _Lilith_ \- rarely invited people over, and only hosted one party per year. So it was a big deal. A big lie.

Amity had spent most of the day in school and was honestly kind of tired. The weekend hadn’t been particularly relaxing; she and Luz had cleaned Eda’s basement until it shone. Amity never wanted to see another ghoul worm again. She could still hear the crunchy squishing sounds from when they had to scrape their nests off the walls. She shivered.

Two things had got her through the grueling task; Lilith telling her that she was proud of her and Luz’s never ending shenanigans. She had created an impromptu little play where ‘Henrietta’ (the biggest ghoul worm they could find) and ‘Penelope’ (the second biggest) had to gather their people and travel to another dimension to escape the wrath of Edwina The Destroyer, dragon queen of the Bay of Sment. Amity smiled and shook her head at the memory.

_She’s so silly._

But even though Luz was silly, she had done her part of the job. She might have even done a little bit _more_ than Amity had. And that was... unfamiliar. She was usually the one who had to carry any sort of group project.

She reached the white wall and put her hand out, like she always did. It slid along the sun-warm stone, making a soothing sound. The wall looked smooth, but she felt the coarseness against her palm and fingertips. She closed her eyes, focusing on the... slightly exciting tingling sensation in her hand and arm. She had walked this way countless times; she knew how many steps it took to get to the street.

... _Thirty one, thirty two, thirty three, thirty f -_

“Amity!”

Amity stopped and opened her eyes, her hand guiltily flying to the strap of her bag. Luz stood by the gate to Lilith’s house, fifty or so meters ahead of her. She was waving hugely. Amity waved back.

“Hi!” Luz shouted. “How was school?!”

“School was fine,” Amity answered pointedly when she was within actual polite-conversation-distance of Luz. “How was your day?”

“It’s been good! Aren’t you excited?!” Luz looked as if she was about to burst. “Oh, but you’ve probably been here a hundred times already, sorry but I’m really excited! A real witch’s garden! Eee!” Luz held her cheeks and bounced up and down.

Amity smiled.

“I’ve never been to Miss - Lilith’s house before.”

“What, really?” Luz looked very surprised. 

“She’s a really private person,” Amity said defensively. “Not everyone gets to live with their mentor, you know.”

 _Wait, what did I just say?_ Amity blinked and felt the heat rise in her cheeks.

Luz turned her head to the side. “Would you want to?”

Several of Amity’s thoughts crashed into each other. ‘ _Oh god yes please’_ and ‘ _What kind of question is that to ask of anyone?!’_ and ‘ _Nobody should_ ** _ **want**_** _to live with their teacher’_ and ‘ _We would absolutely have matching slippers’._ The treacherous thoughts tumbled around in her mind.

“What kind of slippers is that teacher?!” She blurted.

“What _?_ ” Luz snorted.

“No, of course I don’t want - “Amity groaned, stomped her foot, then rubbed her forehead. “Sorry, I’m really tired. Can we drop this?”

“Yeah, sure,” Luz giggled. “Do we go in and ring the door, or is there a buzzer out here or something?”

“I think... Lilith said she’d come meet us at the gate.”

_Should I thank her for dropping it or would that call attention back to it?_

The sound of footsteps over gravel made both girls look up. Lilith was walking toward them.

“Good afternoon, Amity, Luz,” Lilith drew a spell circle in the air and the gates opened.

“Good afternoon,” Amity responded politely.

“Hi!”

“Welcome to my home.”

“Thank you.”

“I really like your bird bushes!” Luz bounded forward. “Do they grow like that or do you have to like - “ she mimed cutting with scissors.

Lilith looked at Luz with a faint smile curling the corners of her mouth. She calmly put her hands behind her back before she answered.

“They have to be sculpted.”

“Did you do it?” Luz asked as she bounced forward another few steps.

Amity noted the slight crease on her mentor’s forehead. She knew Luz was treading a very fine line.

“The gardener did.”

Luz turned, a big smile on her face. “What does - “

Behind Lilith’s back, Amity was gesturing for Luz to shut up.

“Whoopsie!” Luz stood on one leg. “I’m a little excited and when I get excited I ask a lot of questions.”

“Good to know,” Lilith said in a slightly strained voice. “Let’s proceed to the back garden. Keep to the gravel paths please.”

“Mhm, yup,” Luz nodded, then took a step away from the grass. She hadn’t stepped on it, but it had been close.

Lilith strode past her and she and Amity fell into step.

“You don’t have to say anything,” Luz said in a whisper when Amity drew in breath to speak. “I’m gonna be on my best behavior. I promised Eda that.” 

“Well alright then,” Amity breathed out rather forcefully.

Lilith led them past the big house and through a high hedge.

“Whoa!” Luz gasped, grabbing Amity by the arm. She pointed to a large, violently pink flower with petals that furled and unfurled, as if it was breathing.

“That’s just a greedencia,” Amity said.

“It’s gorgeous! Oh, look at that one!” She pointed to an intricately shaped bush covered in little black berries.

“Hermit berry bush.”

“ _Butterflies_!”

There were a lot of butterflies. They flitted through the still air, their iridescent wings shimmering whenever they caught the sun’s light.

Lilith walked ahead of the girls, pleased they couldn’t see the smile on her face. They reached a bench that stood in the shadow of a gnarled old tree with big, dark green leaves.

“Here is a list of what needs to be done. It’s the gardeners only one, so don’t lose it. Start at the top and work your way down.” Lilith held out a little scroll to Amity. Luz was turning on the spot, trying to look everywhere at once. Amity took the scroll and gave Luz a little nudge. Luz stopped spinning and looked up at Lilith, beaming. “My garden holds many rare plants. Some are sensitive to sound, some are rather odorous, some are... _snappy,”_ she glanced at an innocent looking shrub behind a red fence. “And many of them can, at the very least, make you ill. The plants behind fences are _not_ to be touched.”

Luz held up her hand. The corner of Lilith’s mouth curled up again.

“Yes?”

“What does it mean if there’s a ring of rocks around a fenced in plant?” Luz pointed to the innocent looking bush.

Lilith drew a spell circle. A twig rose into the air and soared over to the rocks. As soon as it crossed the barrier a vine shot out and snapped it in half.

“So cool...” Luz breathed.

The bush rustled for a moment, then settled.

“Gloves and knee pads are on the bench, watering cans and tools in the shed.” Lilith pointed to a small building behind a low hedge. “I will be over there, catching up on some reading.” She indicated a kind of sofa thing up some stairs toward the house.

“Oh man, oh man!” Luz jumped from foot to foot. “What are we gonna do first?”

“Says to... ‘trim the Iglacian hedge down to a height of one meter’. We passed that on our way in.”

“I’ll get us some snip-snaps!” Luz bounded toward the shed.

“They’re called... secateurs.” But Luz was already gone. Amity allowed herself a little sigh.

The girls got the required tools, then walked, or in Luz’s case, skipped, to the Iglacian hedge.

“Whoa, she wants this cut down to just one meter?” Luz looked up. The hedge was twice her height. “That won’t leave much of a hedge... left.”

“It grows very fast. And it’s leaves and bark are used for a lot of potions.”

“You sure know a lot about this stuff.”

“They don’t just hand these out, you know.” Amity straightened her ‘top student’ badge primly. Luz mimicked her, then grinned. They both giggled. “Have you ever worked in a garden?”

“A little,” Luz shrugged. “My mom and I grow strawberries in our backyard, so I’ve done a lot of weeding and stuff, but I never had to deal with anything more dangerous than nettles.”

“What are strawberries?”

“It’s a berry, no wait, is it a fruit? Hm. It’s like this,” Luz put her hands together and bowed out her fingers then stretched out her arms. She paused, thought a moment, then leaned forward and lifted one leg while making a popping sound with her lips. Amity burst out laughing, so amused by Luz’s pose she had to hold her knees to catch her breath. Luz started laughing at Amity’s reaction, and then they were just laughing-laughing.

When they had regained their breath, they started working on the hedge. The branches were tough, but they kept chatting and making jokes, so it didn’t really _feel_ like work. It was just something they did _while_ hanging out. It certainly didn’t feel like a _punishment_.

After about an hour and a half Lilith called for them to take a break. She had made them a little tray of milk and apple slices. The girls sat on the bench under the gnarled old tree and shared the provided snack and some sandwiches Luz had brought.

As they sat and chatted, Amity started to get a funny feeling in her stomach. 

_Oh no_ , she thought. _Not now, not_ ** _ **here**_** _._

“You okay”? Luz asked.

“I could really use the bathroom,” Amity said apologetically, then looked over her shoulder to where Lilith was sitting.

“Me too, actually,” Luz admitted.

“Um, would you mind... asking?” Amity whispered, trying not to blush.

“Yeah, no problem.”

“Heey, so... bathroom?” Luz appeared in Lilith’s line of sight.

“Oh, certainly. I’ll show you the way.”

Lilith led them inside and down a long corridor. The house was impeccably decorated, but Amity was too focused on reaching her goal to really appreciate it. Luz, however, gasped and pointed at all the different paintings and statues. And carpets. And little things standing on tables. And one time a spider. It was a big spider though.

“Here we are.” Lilith smiled and gestured to a dark door. “I trust you can find your way back outside?” The girls nodded. She turned and walked back to the garden.

“Ladies first,” Luz bowed to Amity.

“Thanks,” Amity breathed. She hurried inside and locked the door.

She took a breath, then pulled down her leggings and looked at her underwear. There were a few red blotches.

“Nooo...” she groaned quietly, her shoulders slumping. She hadn’t thought to bring her bag! But that _didn’t even matter_ because she didn’t have any... things in there anyway! Because her last moon time was two freaking weeks ago! It was only supposed to happen once a month, wasn’t it?!

_Is there something wrong with me?_

Even if there was, what in the name of Meserif was she supposed to do now? She couldn’t go back out there without... _a barrier_. She was _not_ going to have blood running down her legs again. Toilet paper? No, that was never enough. She had learned that the hard way.

“Luz?” Amity swallowed. She hoped Luz was close enough to hear her through the door. And that Lilith was _far_ away.

“M’yeah?”

_Oh thank god._

“Do you, um...” Just _how_ were you supposed to ask this?! “Do you have, uh... _things_?”

“Things?” Luz asked back. She sounded uncertain. Amity felt the heat ripple across her scalp. “What things?”

“Yeah you know, for when you...?” Was she going to have to say the actual word?! Out loud?!

“Do you need... toilettt paperrr?” Luz asked the question very slowly; she was trying to guess what Amity wanted.

“No,” Amity’s voice had gone a little squeaky. She felt as if she might cry. Today had been going so well! They’d been laughing! Shared sandwiches!

“Are you okay?”

“N-not really.” _Why can I never answer that question like you’re supposed to?_

“Should I get... Lilith?”

“No!” She was _not_ going to go through that again. Especially _here!_ Especially since she knew the kind of things Lilith had to deal with on a daily basis - she didn’t want to burden her with _more_ things.

“You’re not really giving me much to work with here, Amity,” Luz sounded worried and a little frustrated.

Amity closed her eyes and mouthed the foulest word she knew, then she took a shaky breath.

“I’m... I’m _bleeding_.” _Kill me now._

“Do you need a bandage?”

“No?” _Come on Luz, you’re not usually this dense!_

“Then wh - oh. _Oh!_ Okay!”

“ _Do_ you - have _things?_ ”

“Yes, uh, yeah I think so, hold on, let me get my bag!” There was the sound of running feet, fading away.

Luz returned thirty seconds later.

“I’ll slide it under the door, okay?”

_Under the door? The whole bag?_

Before Amity could object, a flat, purple square appeared under the door.

“Wh-what’s that?” Amity asked, leaning away from it.

“Sorry, I don’t have any tampons!”

“Any what?”

“Uh... tampons? Wait, have you never used a pad?”

“A _what?_ ”

“I-is this your _first time?!_ ”

“N-no?!”

“Okay?! I don’t - what? Is this not what you use?”

“No?! Is this what _you_ use?!” Amity stared down at the flat package.

“Yeah?” Luz sounded a little hurt now. “I can’t really... get the hang of tampons.”

“I don’t know what those are - I don’t know what _that_ is - “ Amity was starting to panic now. It felt like the walls were closing in. She had to brace her arms against them.

“Hey, hey, it’s okay, it’s okay!” Luz sounded much closer to the door now. “A pad works just fine, it’ll hold you over for like four-ish hours and then you can change into whatever when you get home - humans use pads all the time, they’re safe!”

“I - I don’t know...”

“Are you sure I shouldn’t just go get Lilith?”

“Don’t!”

“I’m sure she’d understand? She’s a woman too.”

“Please, I don’t want _anyone else_ to know.” Amity hated how much her voice shook.

There was a pause.

“It’s okay to talk about this stuff, Amity,” Luz said in a slow, serious and _sad_ tone. “It’s kind of embarrassing but... It’s also kind of a relief? To not have to... hide everything?”

“Can you just tell me how this thing works?!” Amity snapped, and immediately regretted it. What Luz said sounded... _so weird_. Nobody in their right mind would actually _talk_ about it?

“Sure, alright...” Luz sounded hurt again.

 _Of course she’s hurt, you’re being a b-word._

“Sorry, I’m... sorry.”

“It’s... okay. I get it. So, um... you pull at the white tab and it folds out. Then you remove it from the wrapper and stick it in your underwear. Then you remove the strips for the wings and - “

“This thing has _wings_?!”

“Not bird’s wings just - little flaps? To wrap around your underwear to make sure it doesn’t... slide around?”

“But it’s so _thin_.”

“Yay human technology?”

Amity reached out and picked up the package. She saw the little white tab. She pulled at it while leaning away from it. There was a thin, crinkly sound. It unfolded to show a white, sort of oblong thing. It had purple markings on the ends, and the middle had purple strips. The oblong thing was stuck to the wrapper with some kind of sticky stuff. It was tacky but not like glue.

_Okay, so it’s not so different, when you get right down to it. Right. It’s not made of cloth. But almost. Right. Okay. I can work with this._

“The little heart shape goes uh... in front.”

 _Heart shape?_ She turned the thing the other way. _Oh_.

It took a few tries, but eventually she thought she had managed to put it in the correct way.

 _Am I really doing this? Am I_ ** _ **really**_** _putting human things in my underwear?_ Amity blinked and shook her head. _It’s just temporary. After we’re done in the garden I can go home and change and pretend like it never happened. And nobody will ever know._

She pulled up her pants then went to wash her hands. Then she washed them again. And a third time, just to make sure.

“You okay in there?” Luz asked.

“Fine.”

Amity opened the door and stepped aside for Luz to enter. She kept her eyes on the floor, hoping Luz wasn’t looking at her.

“I’ll be outside.”

“Yeah, o-okay?”

Amity hurried down the corridor. Walking felt _so weird_.

When Luz joined her by the hedge, Amity was already at work.

Luz looked at her friend, feeling a little sad and worried.

“Are you okay?” Luz asked in her gentle way. Amity had been dreading the question, but was prepared.

“I’m fine,” she said. “Here, if you take that branch over there, I can get this one.”

“Okay, sure...” Luz bent to pick up her secateurs. She tried to catch Amity’s eye, but the green haired girl didn’t look up from what she was doing.

 _I wish she’d trust me_ , Luz thought.

Amity pretended her stomach didn’t hurt. She pretended her back didn’t hurt. She pretended that her thighs didn’t hurt. She pretended that she couldn’t feel _stuff_ slip out of her every time she squatted down or stood back up. Every time it happened, her chest grew tight and the image of her blood streaked leggings flashed across her mind. She tried to check on her leggings every time she could, when Luz wasn’t looking in her direction.

She pretended that she didn’t see Luz’s worried face. She pretended that everything was fine. It felt like she had a hot collar on around her neck.

 _Luz_ **_**knows** _ ** _..._

The girls kept working on the hedge for nearly an hour before they were finally done. The next item on the list was weeding and watering the plants around the cherry trees.

“I’ll get some water,” Luz volunteered quickly. “I’ll be right back.”

As soon as Luz disappeared around the corner of the shed, Amity leaned on the wall with one hand and used the other to rub at her lower back. It didn’t help much, but at least it broke up the pain a little, so it wasn’t _constant_. She finally allowed herself to breathe loudly. She was almost panting.

_We’re almost done_ , she told herself. _Almost done..._ She turned her leg to check if there were any stains -

“Amity?”

Amity jumped, then tried to stand up straight. _Miss Clawthorne!_

“Sorry, I didn’t mean to startle you. Are you alright?”

 _She saw me!_ Amity thought in a panic. She had not been prepared, she had finally let herself relax - she hadn’t had time to collect herself! She felt her face grow hot. She didn’t want to be seen - she wanted to _hide_. She realized she hadn’t actually answered her mentor. She couldn’t _think_.

Lilith moved closer, a look of concern on her face. Amity was ghostly pale under her blush. When she had leaned against the wall, she had looked in pain. That’s why Lilith had called out to her. As Lilith approached, her worry grew. The girl opened her mouth, but all that came out was panting.

“Amity?” Lilith reached out slowly to put her hands on the girl’s shoulders. “Please tell me what’s wrong.”

“I’m f-fine,” Amity managed.

Lilith gave her a serious look.

“It is rather obvious that you are not _fine_. Did you touch the umbra cling wort?” There were a hundred things in her garden that could cause a great deal of harm. Quite a few of them caused shortness of breath. The umbra cling wort was the most dangerous plant in the near vicinity. Had it spread out past its boundaries? She tried to see if the girl had any other telltale signs. No blue spots along the hairline, no rash on the neck - her mind was racing.

Amity shook her head. Lilith put her palm against her forehead to check for a fever.

“Oh! Amity are you okay?” Luz came round the corner, carrying a bucket of water and a watering can. She put them down, then hurried over.

“Did either of you come into contact with any of the fenced in plants?” Lilith asked Luz sternly.

“No, I don’t think so? We’ve just finished with the igloo hedge. Iglacill. The thing that needed to be cut down to one meter.” She looked anxiously at Amity for a moment, then a look of realization appeared on her face, it quickly morphed into a worried, soft, sympathetic expression. Lilith gave her an inquiring look, and Luz’s face grew instantly strained and uncomfortable. She bounced her arms against her sides nervously. Lilith stepped up her look to a glare.

“Tell me.”

“Mmmmm _sorry_ Amity... I think she’s got cramps,” Luz whispered it reluctantly.

Lilith’s eyebrows rose and she looked back to Amity’s face - now the girl was looking at the ground.

“I-is this true?” Lilith asked in a softer voice. She turned her head to try to catch the girl’s eye. Amity gave the tiniest nod.

 _Oh thank goodness_ , Lilith thought.

“Alright, okay... Luz, would you... give us a moment?”

“Yeah, of course.” Luz stepped back, then turned and went to pick up the watering can.

“Let’s go to the kitchen.”

####  ********* **

A steaming cup of tea stood on the table in front of Amity.

“Here,” Lilith held out a yellow pillow sort of thing, wrapped in red fabric.

Amity gave her a confused look.

“... Put it to your stomach.” Did the girl not know what a hot water bottle was?

Amity took it hesitantly, then put it against her belly. She let out a long breath, shut her eyes, then hugged it closer. Lilith smiled with relief and grabbed the honey jar. She put a generous amount into the tea, then pushed the cup toward the girl.

“I-is that for me?” Amity asked in a tiny voice.

“Yes.”

“What is it?”

“Oh, it’s... willow bark tea,” Lilith’s brows furrowed. “You’ve never had it before?”

Amity shook her head.

“I’m... sorry,” she mumbled. “I’m being a bother.”

Lilith’s eyebrows rose high on her forehead. She had to take a moment to collect herself before she spoke.

“You are _not_... being a bother,” she said, sounding troubled. “Has your mother... or your sister... never talked to you about your moon cycle?”

Amity’s eyes went wide. She swallowed hard.

“N-not really.”

“... I see.”

 _I should have asked her that months ago_ , Lilith chided herself.

She pulled out a chair and sat down slowly.

 _Oh no, why is she sitting down?_ Amity thought.

“Well... If it hurts... Apply heat.” She pointed to the bottle in Amity’s lap. “You could also take a bath, or a shower. Willow bark tea is easy enough to make, it’ll help with the pain. If you feel nauseated, add some ginger...”

“What’s wrong with you if...” Amity began, then pressed her lips together.

“What’s wrong with you if...?” Lilith coaxed gently.

 _Oh dear god, please let me know the answer to this question,_ Lilith thought quickly.

“If... there’s only two weeks between... times?”

“Oh... well,” Lilith had to take a moment to think. “There’s moon time and there’s... mid-moon time... Mid-moon time, as you can probably tell from the name, happens in between... moon times. Um... speaking from... _personal_ experience... Mid-moon days _can_ be painful too, but in... a different way? And there’s no - _usually_ no...” She cleared her throat awkwardly. “ _Bleeding_ element. Are you...?” She gestured vaguely toward Amity with her hand.

Amity swallowed and nodded once. She couldn’t quite believe she was having this conversation with her mentor.

“Then I’m pretty sure it’s your moon time. When you’re still growing, when you’re still young, things can be... a little irregular. So two weeks, three weeks... _six_ weeks... It’s not uncommon. Eventually it, more or less, settles.” Lilith watched Amity grow a little paler. “You should drink your tea.”

The girl obediently took a sip - she made a face.

“I know,” Lilith said with a sympathetic wrinkling of her nose. “But it works.”

“Thank you...”

“You’re most welcome.” Lilith touched Amity’s arm for a second. “It’ll take a little while before the tea starts working, so just sit and try to relax.”

Amity gave her a weak smile. She really, _really_ liked when Lilith talked to her in that soft voice. That was a secret she would take to her grave.

“Would you like me to get Luz? I dare say she could use a little break too.”

The tentative smile on Amity’s face vanished. Lilith’s brows furrowed. She gave the girl an inquiring look.

“She helped me, earlier... But I’m not... It’s... hard to...” Amity looked down at her lap for a fraction of a second, then she closed her eyes. “She was very kind to me and I’m afraid I haven’t been... very kind back.”

“It’s not the easiest thing to talk about,” Lilith said with a little sigh. “It’s private. It’s... not pleasant. It’s...” she trailed off, looking for the right word. “ _Inconvenient._ ”

“It’s embarrassing.” Amity added.

“It certainly can be,” Lilith agreed. “But... it’s good to have people who look out for you. There have been times when I’ve... been in a rather unfortunate _state_ , and someone close to me really... stepped up and helped me. She didn’t need to. I’m not sure she even wanted to. But she did. And I’m grateful. I’m not sure if I have in fact told her that I am.” Lilith trailed off again. Amity was pretty sure she was talking about her sister. “There are... _few_ people who would do that sort of thing for you. If you can... you should try to make it right.”

Amity nodded. She knew her mentor was right.

####  ********* **

“Luz,” Lilith called from the patio. “Time to take a break. Come have something to drink.” She waited for the human to appear, then ushered her into the kitchen.

“Could really use a drink, thank you,” Luz smiled. She saw Amity sitting at a large table. She had a seat next to her friend. “Is this lemonade?” she asked, pointing at the glass in front of her.

“It’s neflin root juice,” Amity said. “It’s sweet.”

“Oh, okay, thank you,” Luz looked over at Lilith, who gave her a smile. Luz picked up the glass and took a long swig. Amity had thought she might take a little taste before going all in like that, but that just wasn’t her way. She smiled faintly. Luz drank a third of the juice before taking a breath. “Oh man, that’s really good. Tastes almost like pineapple?”

“Apples grow on fir trees in the human realm?” Lilith asked politely.

“What? Oh! No, no. It’s a name for a completely different kind of fruit! It looks like this,” Luz blew up her cheeks and raised her arms into the air, looked up, then adjusted the angle of her elbows slightly. Lilith’s eyebrows raised and Amity snorted, then winced and made a strangled sort of squeak. Both Luz and Lilith looked over at her. “You okay, Amity?”

“I’m f - “ Amity stopped herself. “I’m... doing better.” She spoke slowly, trying not to blush. She wished they wouldn’t look at her. 

“If you’ll excuse me, I need to go check on something in my study,” Lilith said, taking Amity’s words as her cue to leave the girls to talk. “I’ll be back in a little while. There’s more juice in the fridge.”

“That’s good... That you’re doing better, I mean,” Luz said after Lilith had left the room.

“Thank you for earlier,” Amity said quickly. “I’m not... I haven’t really...” she fell silent, trying to find the right words without having to use any of the actual words. “I’m not very comfortable... talking about this kind of thing.”

“That’s okay!” Luz smiled a little uncertainly. “I’m here if you want to, though.”

“I... I know,” Amity looked down at her hands, really wishing she could just turn her cheeks off. “It really meant a lot to me. What you did earlier. I don’t think my other friends... would have helped me like that.” _That_ was a troubling thought.

“I’m sure you’d do the same for me,” Luz said softly.

 _Would I?_ Amity asked herself. An immediate: ‘ _Yes. For Luz’_ appeared in her mind. She gave Luz a faint smile and a little nod. That was good to know _._ Luz positively beamed at her and made some kind of squeaking noise.

“You’re so _cute!”_

Amity’s heart skipped a beat and her face felt suddenly very, _very_ hot. Luz made an even more high pitched squeak and clapped her hands to her cheeks.

“Wike a widdle wobster!” she cooed and turned her head. Her elbow knocked the glass over. They both watched as it rolled behind Luz and fell off the table. The tinkle made them both wince. “Oops. I’ll clean it up! Maybe it can be glued back together?!” Luz slid off her chair and got down on all fours.

“Be careful!”

“ _Oh man,_ the one thing Eda said I shouldn’t do!” Luz chided herself as she scrabbled to pick up the pieces. “ _Mierda!_ ” She jerked her head up and hit the underside of the table. “ _Coño!”_ Luz rolled onto the floor with her hands covering her mouth.

“Are you okay?!” Amity asked.

“S-sorry for swearing,” Luz sat up and rubbed the top of her head with her left hand. “ _Man_ , that really hurt.”

“Your hand - “

“ _Eesh_ ,” Luz glanced at the two little shards embedded in her right palm. “That looks _gnarly_.”

“I heard breaking glass - “ Lilith appeared at the kitchen door. “Is everyone alright?”

“Your nose...” Amity pointed at Luz, who touched her upper lip at the same time. Her fingers came away bloody.

“I think I’m perhaps _not_ okay,” Luz said a little uncertainly. Lilith hurried to a cupboard and got a few kitchen towels, then knelt on the floor next to Luz. She gave Luz one to hold to her nose.

“Lean forward and pinch it by the root,” she instructed firmly. “Did you hit your head?”

“Yeah, udder the dable.” Luz touched the back of her head again.

“Let me see.”

Luz leaned further forward and Lilith took a careful look at the back of her head. There was a little bump, but she hadn’t broken the skin.

“Amity, could you get some ice please?”

“S-sure.” 

“You’ll probably have a bump for a while. Are you feeling dizzy? Nauseated? Do you have blurry vision?”

“Doh.”

“Alright, good, now let me see that hand.”

Luz held it out obediently. Lilith made a little inhalation hiss.

“Sorry I mroke th’ glass,” Luz mumbled, sounding sad. “I’ll pay for id!”

“It’s just a glass,” Lilith said, unconcerned. “I don’t want to remove these while you’re on the floor. Let’s get you up.” They got to their feet and went to stand by the sink. “This is going to sting a little, I’m afraid. Hold still.”

Lilith drew a spell circle over Luz’s hand. A blue light appeared around both shards of glass. They slid out of Luz’s flesh with an unpleasant sound. They were a bit bigger than either of them expected, and once they were removed, the blood ran down to Luz’s elbow before either of them could react.

“Whoa!” Luz gasped, then bent her arm so her elbow was the lowest point. The blood went _plunk plunk plunk_ against the bottom of the sink.

“Let’s make sure all the glass was removed,” Lilith turned on the faucet and held out her hands for Luz’s. Together they rinsed the hand and Lilith drew five more spell circles, managing to extract two more tiny pieces of glass. “Keep holding it under the water while I get some bandages.”

Lilith hurried out of the room and Amity stepped up behind Luz.

“Are you okay?” she asked timidly.

“Yeah, id doesn’d really hurd dad buch.”

“Want me to put the ice pack on your head?”

“Yeah, kind ov god by hands vull,” Luz’s eyes smiled, her mouth was hidden by the kitchen towel. “Ooh dad’s dice...”

_How can she be so calm? I would have freaked out._

“Don’d worry, Abidy, I’m going to be okay.” Luz’s eyebrows were drawn together now.

“You better,” Amity swallowed, feeling the heat rise in her cheeks again. They were standing very close together. Just like when they had hugged in Luz’s room. It had been nice to just hug someone for so long. Amity thought about the shirt Luz had leant her - she had hidden it under her mattress in her room. She liked to sleep in it. It wasn’t so tight around her neck, like her long nightshirts were. And it was - Luz shifted her weight slightly and her hip bumped against Amity’s tender tummy. “ ** _ **Mh!**_** ” Amity squeaked in alarm and took a quick step back.

“Sorry did I tread ob you?” Luz looked down at their feet.

Amity shook her head, swallowing hard. She was still holding the ice pack to Luz’s head.

“Your hips - my stomach,” she panted through gritted teeth.

“Oh, oh doh, I’m so sorry!” Luz could feel Amity’s hand shaking through the ice pack against her head. “Sorry, sorry, sorry!”

Amity tried her best to breathe, but the cramp unfolding within her was _intense_ ; it felt like someone had impaled her on an icicle. She hadn’t been prepared! Her knees felt weak...

“Sit dowd, sit dowd!” Luz said in a worried voice. Amity had gone pale as a ghost - Luz was afraid she might faint. 

When Lilith returned to the kitchen she found Amity sitting on the floor, Luz squatting next to her with her arm still in the sink.

“What happened now?” she inquired, feeling confused and a little overwhelmed.

“I hid her dummy aggidendally...” Luz looked up, her eyes worried. Lilith made an involuntary grimace.

“Oh, _stars_!” The poor little thing! Her hand raised to her own belly; it had contracted in sympathy. _Calm yourself - you being worried isn’t going to help either of them._ “Okay - _okay_...” Lilith put the box down on the table, then went to check on Amity. “Are you alright?”

Amity nodded mutely. She was extremely pale. Lilith hesitated. Whom should she help first? Her instincts said Luz.

“Just sit there and try to relax, Amity, I’ll be with you in a minute.” Without really thinking, she reached out and stroked the girl’s cheek. Amity closed her eyes and breathed out at the touch. Oh, how Lilith’s heart ached.

She wrenched her gaze away from Amity and turned to the other girl. “Now, you - let’s wash your hand and wrap you up.”

“Can’d you jus’ use a healin’ sbell od be?” Luz glanced down at Amity again.

“I am not a licensed healer,” Lilith said, taken aback. But of course a human wouldn’t know the rules. “And even if I were, I’m not sure if you’d be affected in the same way as someone from the Boiling Isles. So let’s do it the safe way.”

“Yeah okay.”

Lilith cleaned Luz’s hand carefully with soap and dried it on a fresh towel.

“Hold it high. Let’s sit down at the table.” They went to sit, away from the shards. “This is going to sting.” Lilith held out a little bottle of clear liquid, then dripped it on Luz’s wounds. The girl winced.

“M’yup, dad sdings!”

They spent a minute wrapping Luz’s hand, then Lilith fetched the ice pack and put it back on Luz’s head. Then she turned to Amity.

“How are you feeling?” Lilith held her hands to her chest.

“Could use some more of that tea,” Amity panted.

“Of course, of course,” Lilith held out both her hands to pull the girl to her feet. Amity hesitated. “Today, I _will_ pull you up.”

_Bless her little heart, she remembered, even in that state._

When Amity had been deposited on the chair next to Luz, Lilith went to boil some more water. Once that was started, she swept up the glass and cleaned up the spilled juice. When the water was ready, she refilled the hot water bottle, then made a cup of willow bark tea for herself and a cup of regular tea for Luz (since she was unsure whether or not it was safe for humans to consume willow bark). Amity had plenty of tea left from earlier.

“Would _anyone_... like a piece of cake?” Lilith asked, sounding tired.

Luz raised a hand, but Amity shook her head slowly. Lilith got plates and cutlery for all three of them, in case Amity changed her mind later, and the cake from the fridge. When she could finally sit down, she let out a controlled sigh.

Luz removed the cloth from her nose.

“Is it bleeding?”

“No.” Lilith smiled, relieved. She put some honey in her cup, then took a sip. The cake would help rid her mouth of the bitter taste, too. She wasn’t in any real pain right _now_ , but once she’d been able to calm down, she knew it’d come.

Luz solved the problem of how to keep the ice pack on her head and eat at the same time by putting the pack under her hood. It had little ears, Lilith noticed.

“I think we’d better call it a day with the gardening,” Lilith said as she looked at the two girls.

 _One bandaged and bruised, the other dealing with cramps and pale as a sheet_. Lilith wanted to keep a close eye on both of them for the time being.

“Yeah mebbe,” Luz said with her mouth full of cake. “This’sh ‘eally good!”

“Don’t talk with your mouth full,” Amity said with a hint of a groan in her voice.

“Oopsh,” Luz swallowed. “Sorry - this is really good. Did you make it?”

“No... it’s from the bakery down the street.”

“I saw that on the way here!” Luz said excitedly. “It’s always fun to look into bakery windows - all the cakes and things look so delicious. There was a purple one with eyes all over it, I swear one of them winked at me.” She crammed more cake into her mouth and smiled widely as she chewed.

Amity was in quite a lot of pain, despite the bottle resting against her tummy. She really wished the tea would start working soon. Still, she smiled a little to hear Luz talk about cake.

 _She’s so enthusiastic all the time. Even when she’s hurt, she’s still so bubbly._ It made her feel... good, and kind of bad. Good because it was hard to be upset around Luz, bad because she knew that’s how you were _supposed_ to be.

“What’s your favorite kind of cake, Amity?”

“Hm? Oh, uh... My aunt Gilda makes one with nuts on top? It’s got... nuts. And some kind of jam, I think.”

“What’s it called?”

“I don’t know. We just call it Gilda cake.”

Lilith looked between them, noting the way Amity’s cheeks gained more color as she spoke to the human. This was the most relaxed Lilith had seen Amity in the presence of another person. That was very good to see. Amity could really use a friend. Especially today.

Lilith often found Amity in the library. She preferred to work on assignments by herself. The other students she hung around with were from other prominent families - Lilith remembered the pressure from her own family to only engage with “the right people”, back when she had been a student at Hexside. It had served her well in her career, but she was unsure if any of the relationships she had so carefully cultivated could actually be called _friend_ ships.

“What’s your favorite cake, Lilith?” Luz asked.

“Hm?” Lilith blinked. “Oh, this one. It’s called denerious dream cake.”

“It’s a really good one. What’s this?” Luz held up a little berry on the end of her fork.

“A denerious berry.”

“Can you pick them around here?”

“You can,” Lilith said with a smile. “But they’re not safe to eat raw,” she added quickly.

“Everything here is so delightfully dangerous,” Luz mused and made a little excited shiver. “Your garden is so cool. The big yellow flowers with blue leaves behind the shed - they turned to follow me as I walked past - _very_ cool.”

“You didn’t touch them, did you?”

“No, they were behind a fence. You said not to touch the ones behind fences.”

“Good, good.” Lilith smiled and mentally gave Luz an extra point.

####  ********* **

The air above the fancy-schmancy part of town was heavy with the scent of spices and perfume. Eda tugged at the hood of her cloak, trying to get the last stubborn tuft of hair inside. It didn’t pay to advertise. She landed in the same alley she had dropped Luz off in, then headed toward the street. She could fly _out_ of Lily’s garden, but not _into_ it. The protection on the house prevented it. Eda used to be able to, but since she had been disowned, she had lost that “privilege”.

She slunk along the crowded street, spotted a guard patrol and melted into a gaggle of party goers. She made her way to the big gate in front of the Clawthorne family manor, then headed left along the wall. She followed it to the corner and into the shadows of the cedar trees. She smiled. The loose bricks were still there.

Once on the other side, she strolled across the perfectly manicured lawns and made her way to the front door. It was as gaudy as she remembered. She took a deep breath, then pulled the bell pull.

After quite a while, Lilith opened the door.

“Good evening, Edalyn,” Lilith said in a measured tone.

“Howdy-do. Luz ready to go?”

There was a slight pause.

“... Why don’t you come in for a minute?”

Eda frowned. “You know I was banished from this house, right?”

“I remember,” Lilith’s expression hardened slightly. “Since it’s in my name now, I control who may enter. And I invited you in.”

“Can I have that in writing?” Eda strode past Lilith, pushing the door open wider. “Love what you’ve done with the place.”

“I haven’t changed anything,” Lilith hurried to close the door, then followed her sister.

“I know, Lily, that’s what we call a _joke,_ ” Eda said over her shoulder. “Oh please, you kept this thing? I thought you hated it.” Eda pointed to a large gargoyle statue in the hallway they were walking through.

“I haven’t been scared of that thing since I was six years old!” Lilith’s elbows pumped as she tried to catch up to her older sister. “The girls are in the kitchen.”

“Kitchen?” Eda stopped. “I thought you were making them do things in the garden?” She pointed down the corridor.

Lilith gave Eda a look that Eda had trouble deciphering.

“We had cake.”

“ _Cake_? I thought this was supposed to be a punishment? Wait, did you make the cake? Hah! That _would_ be a punishment!”

They arrived at the kitchen.

“C’mon kid, let’s skedaddle - “ Eda had strode into the room full of confidence, but froze at the sight of Luz’s bandaged hand and _raised hood_. “What did you do to my Luz?!” She exclaimed and hurried over. “She’s all busted up!”

“ _I_ didn’t do anything to her!” Lilith shook her head, astonished at the accusation.

Eda ignored her and squatted down next to Luz. “You okay, kid? What happened?” 

“Eda, I’m fine,” Luz said quickly. “I knocked over a glass and bumped my head on the table - “

Eda shot up and carefully pulled the hood back, then ran her hands through Luz’s hair. She found a sizable lump. Luz winced and reached up to grab the slipping ice pack. Eda turned her head sharply to glare at Lilith. She waved a finger and a bag of frozen peas appeared, she put it carefully on Luz’s head without looking, then pulled the hood back up.

“Lilith Meadowyn Desiderata Clawthorne I need to see you in the other room. _Now_.” Eda’s voice was shaking with anger. She stomped out of the kitchen.

“Wait,” Luz sighed. “Let me talk to her.” She got to her feet and went to follow Eda. Lilith was so shocked she didn’t try to stop the girl.

“Lily I swear to _god_ if - you’re not Lily - “ Eda froze in the middle of an impressive finger waggling and deflated a little.

“Eda, it’s really sweet that you’re upset I got a bit banged up, but it wasn’t _Lilith’s_ fault. _I_ knocked over the glass. _I_ got down on all fours and tried to pick up the pieces. _I_ bonked my head on the table.” Luz held up her hands to her chest. “ _My_ fault. Not Lilith’s.” She shook her head slowly. “She came as soon as she heard the glass break. She fixed me up. Then we had tea and cake. It was a really good cake, too. She’s been nothing but kind to me.”

Eda blinked at the kid in surprise, stared at her for a good five seconds, then strode over and hugged her tight.

“Oh, oh _my_!” Luz gasped. This was the first time Eda had initiated a hug - Luz had not expected that! She hugged Eda back, patting her back in a bemused sort of way. “You okay there?” Luz asked after twenty seconds or so.

“Dang it kid,” Eda huffed, then stepped back from the hug and held Luz by the shoulders. “I had a speech all prepared - do you have _any idea_ how long I’ve been waiting to lecture my sister?” She blinked quickly. “Darn this old house, so dusty.”

Luz smiled up at her, entirely aware Eda was trying to explain away the tears in her eyes.

“Sorry I ruined your opportunity to lecture your sister,” Luz said in a sing song voice, playing along. It was kind of dusty though, she thought as her nose began to prickle. She grimaced as she drew in a breath but managed to raise her hands to cover her mouth before she sneezed. “TCHOO!”

“Whoa there, told you it was dusty.”

“Uuh.. think I’m gonna need a towel,” Luz said indistinctly.

“Meh, just wipe it on the curtains...” Eda shrugged.

Luz parted her fingers for a second.

Eda’s head jerked back. “ _Holy_ mother of - Uh, Lily?! Could you bring a towel?!”

Lilith and Amity appeared at a run. Lilith had a towel in her hand. She seemed to understand exactly what had happened and gave Eda a dirty look as she walked forward to put it up to Luz’s face. She made an inhalation hiss as Luz opened up her hands.

“Just... lean forward and pinch it again, like before.”

“She had a nosebleed _before_?!” Eda demanded.

“Does id really look dad bad?” Luz asked uncertainly.

Lilith and Eda exchanged a quick look.

“ _No_.” They said it at the same time and shook their heads, out of sync. Luz didn’t believe either of them. Especially since she spotted Amity’s horrified expression behind them.

“’Kay, thing ‘m feeling a liddle lighd headed dow,” Luz mumbled, her eyelids flickering. Eda and Lilith grabbed an arm each, then tried to go in two different directions. “Hwoops - “

“To the kitchen obviously,” Lilith gave Eda an angry look.

“Uh, _no_ , she needs some fresh air - “

“Excuse me, I’ve been dealing with bloody noses for much longer than you have - “

“As if _you_ ever had a bloody nose - “

“Okay guys, mebbe not - bile _holdin_ \- me - “ Luz tried to get a word in edgewise while she was yanked from side to side.

“Not _me,_ my _students_ , obviously - “

“So you don’t have any idea what it actually feels like, I’m _completely_ surprised - “

“I don’t see what that has got to do with anything - “

There was a pink flash and Lilith and Eda were pushed away from Luz. Everyone’s hair was whipped around in the sudden gust of wind.

“ _SERIOUSLY?!_ ” Amity barked. She was brick red the face. She strode forward, grabbed Luz by the elbow, then marched her friend back to the kitchen. She grabbed a chair and pulled it behind them on the way to the sink, kicked it into place, put Luz down on it, then went to get another one and put it opposite her. Then she fetched some more towels. Luz hadn’t dared say a word. Amity turned on the tap and soaked a towel, then wrung it out and sat down on the chair in front of Luz. “Let me see.”

Luz removed the towel, but kept pinching her nose.

Amity raised the wet cloth and began to mop up Luz’s face very, very carefully.

There was the sound of shuffling feet from the entrance of the kitchen, behind Luz. Amity turned her head slowly and glared, unblinkingly, until the sound disappeared. Luz swallowed.

“Y-you okay dere, Abidy?”

“Don’t talk just now,” she said quietly. She put her free hand on Luz’s.

She cleaned Luz’s face and neck with the utmost care. Luz saw the towel come away from her face astonishingly red several times. As the minutes wore on, Amity went from looking red faced and furious to flushed and worried to white as a sheet and exhausted.

“I think that’s as clean as it’s going to get with you still holding your nose,” she said with a sigh.

“Dank you,” Luz smiled.

“Do this,” Amity bared her teeth. Luz obeyed, and Amity wiped the corners of her mouth. “You might want to rinse out your mouth.”

“I don’ really bind th dasde,” Luz said with a little shrug. Amity let out a little breath of laughter.

“Mm-mm, _mm-mm,”_ she shook her head. “Don’t make me laugh now.”

“Sorry?”

Amity sat back in her chair with a grimace. Luz let go of her nose and tried a few experimental sniffs. She touched her nostrils - her fingers came away without fresh blood.

“Thank you, Amity,” she said it with a soft smile, then took both Amity’s hands in hers and gave them a squeeze. “Now, let _me_ get _you_ sorted.” She got to her feet before Amity could protest.

A few minutes later Amity hugged the refilled hot water bottle to her tummy and they both had a cup of tea standing on the sink.

“Oh _god_ ,” Amity grimaced as she took a sip, then put the cup down. “Could you get the honey? _Yuck_.”

Luz leaned forward and took a little slurp from the cup. Amity blinked.

 _Did she just -_

Luz smacked her lips thoughtfully as she straightened up.

“Yeah that is pretty bad, wraurrgh,” her entire body shivered. “So _bitter_!”

“ _Please_ , don’t make me _laugh_ ,” Amity made an amused grimace and held her hands over the water bottle.

Luz was about to respond when she heard the sound of shuffling feet again. This time Luz looked over her shoulder. Eda and Lilith stood in the doorway, looking worried and a little ashamed.

 _Like King after he’d broken one of his stuffed animals._ _And I was that stuffed animal_ , she thought.

“May we come in?” Lilith asked in a careful voice. She was looking at Amity.

 _My_ ** _ **mentor**_** _is asking_ ** _ **me**_** _if she can come into_ ** _ **her own kitchen**_** _. Just how much trouble am I in here? Or am in trouble at all?_ ** _ **They**_** _were the ones acting like children fighting over a toy_ , Amity thought. _But still_... Her chest tightened.

Luz looked at Amity with raised eyebrows. Amity looked at their mentors, then at Luz. Luz nodded, wearing that soft smile of hers. Amity sighed, then nodded too. There was a sudden scuffle. Luz looked round again and saw that Eda and Lilith had tried to get through the door at the same time. She had to quickly stifle a snort of laughter. Amity shook her head, sighing again.

“After you,” Eda muttered. Lilith walked ahead and Eda followed. They stopped in front of the seated girls.

“We’re _very_ sorry,” Lilith said quietly. She had her hands clasped in front of her. “That was not acceptable behavior from our side.”

There was silence for a few seconds, then Lilith elbowed Eda hard.

“Hngyeah, that was embarrassing on a whole new level,” Eda mumbled, glaring at Lilith, then looked at Luz. “Sorry, kid...s. _Kids_.” She took a breath. “Sorry, kids.” 

“Are you alright?” Lilith looked worriedly from one girl to the other.

Amity nodded.

“Yeah, but that tea is _awful_ ,” Luz said, then she shivered again - it ended with her leg kicking out.

“Ha-ha-ha _ow...”_ Amity doubled over with a groan.

“ _Ah mierda_ ,” Luz shook her head. “Sorry, Amity...” She reached out to rub her shoulder.

“’s your kid okay?” Eda said out of the corner of her mouth. Lilith elbowed her again. “ _Ow_.”

“Try to take deep breaths, okay? Just in and out, don’t try to fight it - it’s there and it sucks but it’ll settle down...” Luz put both her hands on Amity’s shoulders and rubbed gently back and forth. “Just sit up, slowly, that’s right, and breathe, it’ll let go soon, you can’t make it stop, just _accept_ that it hurts... and _breathe_.”

Lilith glanced at Eda in surprise. Eda in turn gave her a ‘I didn’t expect to hear that, really, but honestly I’m not that surprised because _my_ kid has a deep level of emotional intelligence and has experienced severe cramps as well, so _there_ ’-kind of look.

Amity clung on to Luz’s words, hoping that they were true. She managed to sit up - and to breathe almost normally - but accepting the pain? She didn’t dare to even _try_ to do that.

“It’s okay,” Luz said softly. “Just breathe...”

Finally the tight, pulsating pain unraveled. A dull ache took its place. Amity slumped against the back of her chair, able to breathe deeply again.

“There we go...” Luz rubbed Amity’s upper arms. “Hi.”

Amity gave Luz a grateful look, glanced at their mentors, then closed her eyes.

“Could everybody stop _looking_ at me please,” she groaned quietly.

Lilith turned and pulled a tutting Eda around with her. Luz looked up at the ceiling.

Amity realized she didn’t mind _Luz_ looking at her, so she nudged her knee. Luz looked at her in surprise, then blushed and smiled when Amity mouthed: ‘Only you’.

“Are we allowed to _talk_ or...?” Eda asked, sounding kind of fed up.

“Shush!” Lilith elbowed her a third time.

“ _Ow_! Would you - _quit_ it?!” Eda grabbed her by the upper arm. “You _do_ realize I’ve _also_ got cramps and you keep _elbowing me_ in the _freaking gut_?!”

Lilith gasped, her eyes going wide. Her hand jumped to her own stomach, as if that had suddenly hurt.

“Oh my goodness Edalyn, I - I’m so sorry!” Now her hand rose to her face. “I forgot!”

“Yeah you _would_ forget,” Eda muttered darkly, then shoved Lilith’s arm away.

Amity and Luz exchanged a worried look.

“You okay, Eda?” Luz asked carefully.

Lilith stood with her hand covering her mouth, her eyes closed, forehead deeply creased.

“I’m _fantastic_ \- can I turn around now? What are we doing?”

“Would you give them _a moment?_ ” Lilith all but begged. She sounded on the verge of tears.

“What, nobody is allowed to see someone be in pain all of a sudden?”

“She’s _embarrassed,_ Eda!” Lilith wailed in a whisper-hiss.

“Well, she shouldn’t be! She’s got cramps! Big whoop! Everybody with a uterus gets them!” She shrugged aggressively. “Just what have you been telling her, Lily? Some of _mother’s_ good old wisdom, hmm?” She made a sudden gasp and raised a threatening finger. “You didn’t slap her, did you?”

“ _What?!_ **_**Of course not!**_** ” Lilith erupted. “This - this isn’t even her first time!” She shook her head and threw out her arms, as if she couldn’t believe what she had just heard.

‘ _Slap?_ ’ Luz mouthed at Amity. Amity shook her head firmly and shrugged. She had no idea what was going on now.

“Aw, _heck_ ,” Eda grimaced and turned her head away. “Could you pass me a towel, Luz?”

“What are you - !” Lilith looked even more furious that Eda had interrupted their argument.

“There aren’t any clean ones - “

“Doesn’t. Matter,” Eda growled through gritted teeth. She reached out a hand behind her.

Luz wordlessly passed her the towel she had been holding for the last fifteen minutes. Eda took it and shoved it up under her dress without fuss. Amity gasped and covered her eyes, Luz stared and Lilith went pink in the face. Eda straightened up, one hand clamped firmly between her legs.

“Edalyn Veronice Sapphira Clawthorne - what are you _doing?!”_ Lilith whisper-shrieked, stomping her foot against the floor.

“I’m _trying_ not to bleed all over your lovely kitchen floor, _Lily_ ,” Eda said in a ‘don’t try me’ voice. “I’ll send you the bill for my dress, shall I? Since this is _your_ doing.”

“Why didn’t you say anything? Why didn’t you step away?” Lilith shook her head at her sister, her voice full of disbelief.

“Oh _I’m_ sorry I didn’t wear enough protection to absorb the blood _you_ were going to punch out of my uterus!” Eda snapped. “I should plan for that in the future, should I?!”

“You are _scaring_ the _children_!” Lilith hissed through gritted teeth, gesturing stiffly toward Amity and Luz.

“Then maybe you should help me instead of having a dang argument?!”

“What do I even _do_ in this situation?!”

“Oh, I don’t know, get me another towel and help me to the bathroom, maybe?!”

“Fine! Here!” Lilith snatched the nearest towel and thrust it at Eda.

“Thank you!”

Eda walked awkwardly out of the kitchen and Lilith followed. They kept bickering all the way upstairs. Luz followed the sound with her eyes. There was a loud slam, then the sound of their voices grew very muffled.

“They love each other... _so_ much,” Luz said breathlessly. 

“What... just happened?” Amity asked. She looked up at Luz. “Did she really just - “ she faltered, her hand gestured vaguely to where their mentors had stood thirty seconds ago. She didn’t even know where she was on the embarrassment scale anymore. It was like she had passed through some kind of invisible barrier and now she was on the other side, _beyond_ the scale. She felt oddly calm. But confused. Shocked. That was the word. She was _shocked_. 

“You okay?” Luz asked.

“I have no idea,” Amity answered, shaking her head slightly. “Are you?”

“Yeah, I guess... maybe?” Luz held up her hands and shrugged.

“I would have _died_ of shame if that happened to me. How could Eda be so... _calm_?”

“I wouldn’t exactly call that _calm_ ,” Luz scoffed in a good-natured kind of way. “But Eda doesn’t... _care_ about that stuff. At least not in front of _us_. She was really good about it when I... um...”

“You had an accident in front of her?” Amity asked the question before she could stop herself. 

“Not like _that!_ ” Luz gestured to where Lilith and Eda had stood. “I was in bed. Woke up with cramps. It had got all over my sleeping bag. You couldn’t see it from the outside but I’m sure she _knew_ it had happened. I didn’t really have to say anything.”

Amity bit her lip.

“I... had an accident at school. A few months ago. A _big_ one. I hid in the bathroom and Lilith found me. She was very good about it too. Very kind...”

“Aww...” Luz took Amity’s hand. “Eda told me about Lilith’s first time.”

“Shut. Up.”

“Wanna hear about it?”

Amity glanced up at the ceiling. They could still hear distant arguing.

_Beyond the scale..._

She nodded once. 

“Okay, so,” Luz leaned forward. “Lilith won an award during her fourth year graduation and while she was showing it to some of her parents’ friends, she _got it_ and when she got up from her chair, it was covered in blood.”

“Oh my god,” Amity gasped.

“Eda faked spilling her drink over it to cover it up. I think she got in big trouble for that. But no one found out about Lilith.”

“At her _graduation_? Oh my _god_.”

“Right? Made me feel better about my little mishap. At least it wasn’t in _public_.”

 _Is that why she helped me a few months ago? Because she had been through the same thing? Or is this what she referred to earlier today?_ Amity thought. _Maybe both_. 

“She was so kind to me earlier...”

“Yeah?” Luz smiled warmly. “I was hoping she would be. Sorry I had to tell her you had cramps by the way, she was giving me this _look -_ I didn’t want to betray you but she looked _so - worried._ And you looked to be in so much pain and you obviously didn’t want to talk about it so...”

Amity blushed. So many things had happened today.

“ _Thank you_... for telling her I had...” Amity couldn’t say it while looking at Luz. So she looked down at their legs. “C-cramps.” It came out as a whisper.

_I said it out loud. Far beyond the scale._

Even though she was far beyond the scale, her shoulders rose high. Her cheeks burned. Her _ears_ burned. She was sure something terrible was about to happen.

Luz took Amity’s hands in hers and gave them a gentle squeeze. Amity looked at them for a moment, then followed Luz’s arms up to her face. Luz was looking at her with such a soft expression it made her heart feel all warm. She felt _seen_ somehow. Not just looked at. And not in a bad way at all. Nobody had ever looked at her that way before. She felt very aware of her heart. She could feel it beating, not fast exactly, but _forcefully_.

 _Confidently_. That was a weird thought to have about her own heart.

“... I don’t think I would have been able to...” Amity continued. How long had she been staring at Luz’s face?

####  ********* **

“I need something to wear,” Eda said as she turned off the shower. “Can’t go flying in just my cloak. It’s too cold.”

Lilith, who was standing with her back turned in her _previously_ spotless master bathroom, gave a tiny, exasperated huff. “Of course the _temperature_ is your first concern.”

“Don’t tell me you’ve never flown naked?”

“Of course I haven’t!” Lilith snapped, then held out a dark blue towel. Eda took it and began to dry herself off.

“You should try it, might loosen you up a little,” she muttered. “Wonderful on a warm summer night, the breeze in your - “

“Spare me the details. _Please_.”

“And could you spare me something to _wear_ , your highness?”

Lilith gave her a long look. Then she smiled, evilly, before striding out of the bathroom.

“I don’t like that look, Lily, what’s with that look?”

Lilith returned a minute later with a pile of neatly folded, very pink garments.

“You might as well wear these,” she said in a frustrated tone of voice. It was the clothes Eda had lent her over the weekend. 

“Hah! What were you hoping to find?” Eda scoffed and snatched the underwear lying on top.

“My Ostegar gown, but knowing you, you’d bleed all over it just to annoy me.”

“You’re not wrong,” Eda admitted. “Speaking of which. Are you going to get me something to put in these or what?” She waved the underwear.

“You didn’t bring any moon cloth?” Lilith gave Eda a disbelieving look.

“I was going to be gone half an hour, tops! Or so I thought.”

“ _I_ don’t have anything!”

“What?” Eda stopped swinging the underwear.

“They’re all in the wash.” She gestured to the cupboard where she kept the laundry hamper.

“You’re kidding me.”

“I haven’t had time to - do you want to _see?”_

“I _believe_ you, jeez - but what am I gonna do? I can’t exactly _hold it in!_ _Especially_ now.”

“Just... grab some toilet paper!” Lilith looked away guiltily.

“You know that never works.”

“Well, I don’t know what to tell you.”

Eda put her hands on her hips and huffed. She thought for a moment, then:

“LUZ!” she shouted. Lilith flinched, both at the sudden sound at at the volume.

After a few seconds they could hear two people approaching quickly.

“Eda?” It was Luz’s voice.

“In here.”

Luz and Amity entered Lilith’s bedroom a little hesitantly.

“Oh, you are _so_ naked right now.” Luz blurted. Amity gasped and covered her eyes, then hid behind Luz. Lilith turned to look at her sister.

“Oh, for goodness _sake_ ,” she snapped, then waved her finger and the towel shot up like a reverse theater curtain; Eda hadn’t even bothered to put it on, or even hold it up.

“ _What?_ We’re all ladies here, aren’t we?” Eda gave Lilith an amused look.

“This is highly inappropriate and you know it, Edalyn!”

“Um, what did you call me for?” Luz asked uncertainly. Amity was still covering her eyes.

“Do you have any of those pad things with you?”

“Uh... yes?”

“Could I have one?”

“Sure, I’ll... get my bag.” Luz turned and headed out of the room. Amity followed, holding her hand to the side of her face to block their mentors from view.

“I could have just gone and _asked_ them,” Lilith said, letting the towel fall.

“This was faster. I thought you’d appreciate me not making a bigger mess.”

“There’s something called _boundaries_ , Edalyn,” Lilith’s voice was tired. She pinched the bridge of her nose.

The girls returned a minute later.

“I’m coming in,” Luz announced a few seconds before entering. Lilith tried to hand Eda the towel, but she wouldn’t take it. Instead she held out her hand to Luz over the top of the towel. The girl approached carefully and handed over a small, purple package. “There you go.” She spun on the spot and started to walk away.

“How does it work?”

“Um...” Luz turned back, gingerly took the pad back, then took a breath. “You unfold it like _this_... Then take it off the _wrapper_ , put it, _sticky side down_ , into your underwear, then remove _these_ things,” she pointed to the purple strips at the middle of the pad. “And wrap them around the... crotch. Of your underwear. Theeeen it’s done. Okay? You good?” She handed the pad back to Eda. Both her and Lilith had been watching the little demonstration with fascination. “Oh and the purple heart shape goes in front.”

Both Eda and Lilith turned their heads to the side. Luz reached out and turned the pad ninety degrees.

“Oh,” the sisters said together. Luz gave them a strained smile, then turned and walked off quickly.

“It doesn’t look so different,” Eda commented.

“Very _thin_... How’s that supposed to hold... everything.” Lilith gave the pad a doubtful look.

“Humans come up with some pretty nifty stuff, you know. At least it’s got to be better than toilet paper.”

Then, to Lilith’s relief, Eda finally started to get dressed.

####  ********* **

Luz came round the corner, walking fast.

“You okay?” Amity asked.

“I just explained how to use a pad to two ladies more than twice my age - I never expected to have to do that. I mean I _think_ I did okay, but what do I know?” Luz babbled, shrugging her shoulders. Then she kept talking, but in a language Amity couldn’t understand. It was fast and rhythmically different from English. She waved her hands as she spoke. “And it’s not like I haven’t seen her naked _before_ it’s just that - “ and she went off again. Amity heard her own name and Lilith and Eda’s in the stream of unfamiliar words. She was fascinated. Both at the speed to which Luz had got up to and at the passion behind her words. Whatever this language was, it seemed to involve a lot of gestures. They had got all the way down to the kitchen now. Luz took a seat at the table and Amity sat down too. Then Luz got up again, and Amity went to follow, but Luz put a finger on her shoulder. She kept talking, waving her arms, picking up towels and putting the kettle on. She refilled the hot water bottle and gave it to Amity, then began looking in the cupboards. Amity thought about objecting - Luz shouldn’t be looking in Lilith’s things without permission. But there wasn’t room for her to get a word in edgewise. Eventually she just sat back and watched. And listened. Luz found a scrubbing brush, some rubber gloves and some soap, then threw all the towels into the sink and began to wash them.

####  ********* **

When Eda approached the kitchen, she held out an arm to stop Lilith, then pulled her back.

“What _now_?” Lilith groaned.

“Shh! _Look_.” She pointed into the kitchen. Lilith rolled her eyes, then looked.

She saw... Amity sitting on a chair. Luz was standing up and talking.

“What?” Lilith whispered. “They seem fine?”

“Look at your kid, looking at my kid.” Eda pointed from one to the other.

Lilith wrinkled her eyebrows. Amity looked... relaxed. At ease. She was smiling. In a... dreamy sort of way. Lilith’s eyebrows rose.

“Your brat better not break Luz’s heart or I swear to god I will burn this place to the ground.”

Lilith gave Eda a sharp look.

“But they’re _friends_... aren’t they?”

“For now, maybe.” Eda made a little snort. “Luz hasn’t been able to stop talking about little miss angry pants since you... since this weekend. Could you imagine the kind of kids they’d have?”

A brief image of a toddler with Luz’s hair and Amity’s eyes flashed across Lilith’s mind. Unconsciously, she let out a soft breath and raised a hand to her heart. Eda gave her a knowing look.

“ _Yeah_ you can,” she chuckled. “For holidays, I call dibs on the winter solstice feast.”

Lilith turned and folded her arms. “Why do _you_ get the winter solstice?” 

“I said it first.”

“We’ll alternate.”

“Fine. But Terum Eve is mine.”

“Then I’ll take the Ostegar day.”

“Deal.”

“Deal.”

They shook hands quickly.

####  ********* **

“Luz, time to go.” Eda said, trying not to smirk.

Luz turned around, surprised to find Eda and Lilith standing behind her. She caught the astonished look on Amity’s face.

“ _Qué tienes puesto?"_ Luz asked, looking Eda up and down.

“Beg your pardon?” Eda raised her eyebrows. “Luz, you’ve slipped into Spanish mode.”

“Eh?” Luz shook her head. “Uh... How long have I been...?” She looked at Amity.

“A few minutes?”

“What? Why didn’t you say anything?”

Amity shrugged and blushed, looking put on the spot. “Sounded like it was important. Didn’t want to interrupt.”

Eda gave Lilith a ‘I told you so’ kind of look.

“W-well!” Luz said, looking flustered.

Eda decided to spare Luz some embarrassment. “What did you ask me?” 

“I asked, ‘What are you wearing?’” Luz pointed at Eda’s clothes with the scrubbing brush.

“Oh this? This is Lily’s favorite outfit.”

Luz snorted and raised the brush to her mouth.

“It is _not_ \- “

“Come on, nobody actually believes me. This is too _fun_ for you.”

“Didn’t you say you were _leaving?”_ Lilith pressed out the last word through gritted teeth.

“You’ve got to give me a couple free jabs, Lily, you owe me that much,” Eda rolled her eyes and gave her a disapproving look. Lilith tutted, folded her arms and looked away.

“Take the cake,” she grumbled.

“Cake? What cake?” Eda looked at her in confusion.

Lilith strode to the fridge and took out the remaining cake. Eda was immediately distracted.

“Aw, I haven’t had that in years! Hah! I should let you elbow me in the uterus more often.” 

“I guess we’re leaving?” Luz said to Amity.

“Oh, yeah... right.” Amity stood up. “Do you... want to meet up later this week? I still need to return your book.”

“Yeah, sure!” Luz beamed, then pulled Amity into a hug. “I’d love to hang out!”

“Great!” Amity was happy Luz couldn’t see the blush on her face.

They both relaxed into the embrace.

Eda glanced at the girls and grinned, then put on her cloak and hood. She let another ten seconds pass, then she cleared her throat.

“Thanks for the apology cake, that’s dinner sorted,” she said as she opened the door to the patio. “Smell ya later, Lily.”

“Goodbye, Edalyn.” Lilith said in a tired voice. She pinched the bridge of her nose again.

“Guess I’d better go,” Luz said apologetically. She stepped back from the hug and smiled at Amity.

“Yeah, bye,” Amity stepped back too, putting her hands behind her back. 

Eda summoned her staff and she and Luz mounted up.

“Let’s go home, Owlbert.”

Lilith and Amity stood in the doorway and watched them fly off. Luz kept waving til they were out of sight. Lilith heard Amity let out a little sigh.

“Not quite the afternoon either of us had expected, was it?” she said in a faraway voice.

“No.” Amity responded, also sounding a bit distant.

“I’m so dreadfully sorry about my sister’s - and _my_ behavior. What must you think of me...”

“It’s okay. I... know what it’s like to have siblings who push all your buttons.”

Lilith patted Amity’s slender shoulder and sighed. “You do, don’t you.”

They stood in silence for a minute, both still looking up at the sky.

“Let me take you home, Amity. It’s getting rather late.”

“Oh, you don’t have to, I know the way. I walk past here on my way to school.”

“Oh? Isn’t that a little out of your way?”

“Um...” _Oh no. Think of something, quick!_ “I like touching your wall.” Amity’s eyes went wide. Her mind filled with swearwords.

Lilith blinked, then looked down at Amity in surprise. She saw the terrified expression on her protege’s face. The girl had been through enough for one day.

“It’s a very good wall,” she said softly and patted Amity’s shoulder again.

Amity gave a defeated sigh.

When they walked out of the front gates a few minutes later, Amity slowed down. Lilith gave her an inquiring look.

“Do you mind if - “ Amity’s blush was visible even under the light of the lamp posts. “I’ll feel really weird if I don’t - um - “

“By all means, touch the wall,” Lilith smiled down at Amity. “I feel really weird if I don’t run my hand along the banister on the stairs to the second floor. Little habits like that are nothing to be ashamed about.”

Amity’s shoulders lowered considerably.

As they walked, a soft, wave like sound accompanied them.

When they entered the drive to Blight manor, Lilith held out the little bag she had been carrying.

“What’s this?” Amity asked in surprise.

“Some tea and my spare hot water bottle.”

“Oh,” Amity was flabbergasted. “Th-thank you, you d-didn’t have to - do that...”

“It’s nothing,” Lilith gave her a calm, warm smile.

Amity blushed and hugged the bag to her chest. It made a crinkly sound. It was _far_ from nothing.

“Did I say thank you?” She asked after a moment. “Thank you.”

“Yes, you did,” Lilith gave her a concerned look. “I think you need a proper meal when you get home. And a good night’s sleep.” She remembered that the girl hadn’t had any cake. Of course she must be hungry - it had been a long time since those apple slices.

 _You have got to do better for her,_ she chided herself.

They arrived at the house and Lilith used the door knocker to announce their presence, then she put a hand on Amity’s shoulder. Amity felt very weird, knocking on the door to her own house, but the hand on her shoulder made her feel... better.

“Mittens! Why are you knock - oh, good evening Miss Clawthorne?” Em looked up at Lilith with a confused expression.

“I smell trouble!” Ed appeared from behind Em. “Are you in trouble Mittens?”

“Good evening Miss Blight, Mr Blight. Is Mrs Blight available?” Lilith inquired in a polite but firm voice. “I’d like a word.”

Amity glanced up at her, suddenly worried. She felt a reassuring squeeze on her shoulder.

“She’s home. I’ll go get her!” Ed volunteered. Em let them in.

“Ah, Miss Clawthorne! So good to see you, come in, come in. Thank you so much for walking Amity home,” Mrs Blight swept down the hall wearing her best and most indulgent smile. “And thank you for letting Amity study your garden, we’re ever so grateful for your continued interest in our little girl.”

Amity closed her eyes. Why did parents always have to be so embarrassing? At least she wasn’t _naked_.

“Mrs Blight, good evening. May I have a word. In private?”

“Why certainly you may,” Mrs Blight trilled. “Can I offer you a drink?”

“Tea,” Lilith said, one eyebrow raising a calculated fraction of an inch. She turned to Amity and gave her shoulder another gentle squeeze (Mrs Blight got a smug look on her face that Amity hoped Lilith didn’t catch). “Goodnight, Miss Blight. Thank you for your hard work today. I’ll see you in class tomorrow.”

“Goodnight, Miss Clawthorne.” Amity bowed her head, then turned and walked away with a measured tread. Em followed her.

“What’s in the bag?” She asked, trying to take a peek inside it.

“Never you mind!” Amity hugged it to her chest more tightly. She wanted to be left alone. So of course Em kept pace with her up the stairs.

“Wow, _you’re_ in a mood.”

“Leave me _alone_ , Em.”

“Did you get in trouble? Did you tread on some delicate little flower?” Em fluttered her eyelashes teasingly.

“No, I didn’t.”

“Then what’s Miss Clawthorne talking to mom about, huh?”

“None of your business!” Amity snapped, her cheeks flushing. She didn’t _know_ , but she had a gnawing suspicion of what it might be about.

“Oof, someone’s in a _mood_ ,” Ed appeared in a puff of smoke. Amity tried to step around him. “What’s this, little sister?” he snatched the bag out of her arms. “Did teacher give her special pet a pretty collar?”

“Give that back!” Amity spun on the spot - Ed jumped aside and Em slid in between them, blocking her way. Amity felt the panic rise in her chest.

“What’s this?” Ed held up a glass jar. There was a note stuck on top. “’One table spoon of tea per cup of water. No more than six table spoons per day’ - “

“That’s _private_!”

“Let me see that,” Em turned and dug into the bag - she held up the hot water bottle.

“That’s not a collar,” Ed said, giving Amity a slightly disappointed look.

Em gasped, then started to laugh in a knowing way. Amity got a very bad feeling.

“Oh, brother of mine, you know _what_?” Em said sweetly.

“Pray tell, sister,” Ed lit up again at the tone of her voice.

“I think our baby sister is growing up! So you finally got your moon gift? Aww... such a late bloomer, our little Mitten kitten.”

“I’ve had it for almost a year!” Amity snapped, incensed. She closed her eyes as her siblings burst into gleeful laughter.

_Why did I say that aloud?!_

“This explains so much!” Ed wheezed.

“Yeah, it does!” Em agreed.

Amity snatched back her stuff, then turned and walked stiffly toward her room. She slammed her door shut with all her might, but she could still hear Ed and Em cackling through the wall.

“Why do they always have to be such _jerks_?!” Amity muttered to herself. She wiped her eyes angrily on her sleeve, put the bag and its contents onto her bed, then went into her bathroom. Out of all the things that had happened today - _this_ was what made her cry.

She stayed in the bath for a very long time. When she finally got out, she put on some fresh clothes, filled the hot water bottle, then lay down on her bed. She was pretty sure she had missed dinner. And she didn’t much care.

Her head buzzed with everything that had happened today. Had she _really_ talked to her mentor about moon time, of all things? Had she _really_ shouted at Eda and Lilith? Had she _really_ spent ten minutes cleaning _blood_ off Luz’s face? It hadn’t even bothered her; she had been too angry. And then that awful cramp... in front of _everyone_. She hugged herself and groaned at the recollection. Luz had helped her. Again. Then the whole _naked Eda_ business. She felt her face grow hot from second hand embarrassment. Then Luz had _talked_... in Spanish. Amity’s ears tingled. Spanish, she really had to remember that. Spanish...

 _Luz_...

She really wished Luz was here, right now. She wondered when they’d be able to hang out again. They’d said later in the week, but they hadn’t said a specific day. She really wanted something she could look forward to. She knew Ed and Em would be _insufferable_ for the next few days.

A little while later, there was a knock at her door. She frowned, got out of bed, then went to open. It was Em.

“What do _you_ want?” 

“Mom’s letting you eat in your room,” she said with a huff. She thrust a covered tray into Amity’s arms.

“Okay, _bye_ Em,” Amity put the tray down on a dresser, then turned back to close the door.

“You really had it a whole year, and you didn’t tell me?” Em asked and to Amity’s surprise, she looked kind of _hurt_.

 _How - how dare she come to my room and look_ ** _ **hurt**_** _?! After what she just did? After the_ ** _ **library**_** _?_

“Oh you didn’t know?” Amity lifted her chin. “I guess you _didn’t get that far into my_ ** _ **diary**_** _then!_ ” She slammed the door closed before Em could retort. And slid the bolt across. There was a frustrated groan from the other side. Amity panted out a few angry breaths.

 _Serves her_ ** _ **right**_**.

She knew she would have to pay dearly for that later, but for now, she let herself enjoy the little victory.

 _To answer your question Luz,_ **_**yes** _ ** _I would want to live with my mentor. Then I could get away from my siblings and spend time with someone who actually seems to_ **_**want** _ ** _to spend time with me._

####  ********* **

When Eda and Luz got home, they changed into pyjamas, then met in the kitchen for a late dinner.

“You know, you really scared me earlier,” Eda said offhandedly while she drained the peas. 

“Yeah, I _know_.” Luz cut three pieces out of the apology cake, then smiled up at her mentor. 

Eda held out the steaming bowl of peas.

“Here,” she huffed. “Eat.”

“You _like_ me,” Luz sang. “You - care - if - I - get - _hurt_!” She reached out to boop Eda’s nose.

“Do that again and you’ll be down to nine fingers, missy.”

“Eda the _growl_ lady,” Luz made claws with her hands.

“Stop it.”

“I was awoken by the sound of mockery!” King appeared in the door leading to the living room. “Where is it? Show me the object of ridicule!”*

“Eda _loves_ me,” Luz put her hands on her cheeks and made a kissy face. “She _wuvs_ me _sooo_ much!”

“ _Oh-ho_ , mocking Eda showing _feelings_ , eh? I _like_ it!” King rubbed his hands together.

“I hate you both,” Eda said in a deadpan voice.

“She always tucks me in, when she thinks I’m asleep!” King counted on his claws.

“Aww!” Luz cooed.

“I do _not_!” Eda protested.

“She always lets me have the last cookie, even though she really wants it!”

“ _Aaw!”_

“Happened once, _maybe_ twice.”

“Oh and there was the time when she found a wounded dimple snug and nursed it back to health - it still comes back sometimes! Once it brought its babies and they had a cuddle party!”

“ _AAWWWH!”_ Luz’s fingers dug into her cheeks.

“And then there was - “

“Okay, okay that’s enough. I hate you. Genuinely _hate_ you. You’re disowned, the both of you.”

“I’m in your _will?_ You _do_ love me!” Luz squeaked, twisting in her chair with delight.

“Yes! I’m going to be _rich_!” King jumped onto the table and made a little victory pose.

“That means you’re _out_ of my will - why am I trying to explain - ”

“She loves us, she loves us!” Luz and King sang together.

“You’re grounded, both of you, grounded. Forever.”

####  ********* **

Lilith groaned as she finally sank into her tub. The heat washed over her, taking some of the building tension with it. She knew she was in for a night full of interrupted sleep. She didn’t need this - she had barely recovered from draining herself, then a day like this happens? It should have been so _simple_...

“Why do you always have to make things so _difficult,_ Edalyn?” she sighed tiredly. She rubbed her temples, trying to mitigate tomorrows headache.

Why did they always have to get into it? Why could they never just get along?

And the poor girls, having to witness that whole debacle... 

_“_ Naked _. Naked!_ In front of the children! Oh _Eda_...” She groaned her sister’s name, her voice carrying exasperation, disbelief, anger and shame. She slipped under the surface.

 _It was my fault,_ she admitted in the privacy of her own head. _If I hadn’t elbowed her..._ Her hands crept to her tummy as it seared with cold again. Her heart seared with guilt. _I should have remembered. I shouldn’t have been so angry. Fighting over the human in the drawing room was so stupid, why did we_ ** _ **do**_** _that?_ She allowed herself to drift to the surface.

The events of the afternoon and evening were passing in front of her eyes in bits and pieces. Disjointed. Out of order.

Amity’s scream of protest. Luz’s hand full of glass. Blood dripping in the sink. Opening the door to see her sister - how it had hurt to see her on the doorstep - why had it hurt so much? The sound of breaking glass. Stroking Amity’s cheek and feeling the girl’s soft exhalation against her hand and wrist. Amity leaning against the shed wall.

 _Amity_...

Amity sitting on the chair, shy and embarrassed and in pain. And she hadn’t known what a hot water bottle was... She had never had the _tea_... How many months had she just had to _endure,_ all alone?

_The poor little thing..._

The conversation with Mrs Blight had been brief and awkward. And entirely necessary. Mrs Blight was (thankfully) aware Amity had flowered, but had no idea the girl was having any sort of trouble dealing with it. Amity had been described as “independent _”_ in a tone of voice Lilith had not liked at all - it had far too many implications - she’d had to point out, _quite firmly_ , that even the most independent girl needed _guidance,_ and while Lilith was happy to provide it, it needed to come from home as well. Lilith had tried to keep the coolness in her voice to a minimum, but at the end of the conversation, Mrs Blight had looked very much like a student who had just been thoroughly chastised. The goodbye at the door had been rather stiff. Lilith had been glad for the walk home after that. She had been able to burn some of the frustration off.

At least Lilith had had _Eda_ , when she was younger. Eda had looked out for her. She had told her about moon time, _really_ told her about it - what to do, what _not_ to do - not like... their mother. Lilith remembered the sting and the shock of the slap when she had finally found out. Eda had been _so angry_ about that.

 _How could she have thought that I’d do that to someone else? Eda was there, she saw the aftermath..._ Lilith hugged herself. _She thought_ ** _ **I**_** _had hurt Luz..._ She felt the tears come, and didn’t try to stop them. _Is that really what you think of me, Edalyn? That I would strike a_ ** _ **child**_** _?_

She had to sit up. She had to hold onto something solid.

Maybe... Eda had just... been afraid? She grabbed onto the thought like she grabbed the edge of the tub; desperately. Afraid when she had seen the child she obviously cared so much about injured. Like when Lilith herself had seen Amity leaning against the shed. The worst case scenario always jumped out first. Lilith had asked about the umbra cling wort. Eda had asked about... what _Lilith_ had done to her Luz. Lilith relaxed slightly. The worst thing. Not the most _likely_ thing. The _worst_ thing...

Her hand rose to touch her cheek. Where their mother had “welcomed her into womanhood”. Eda had used the same voice today as she had _that_ day. So full of anger it was shaking. No jokes. No sarcasm. Just... cold anger.

And Lilith had elbowed her in the gut. Three times! She put her head in her hands, hissing as the guilty jolt of pain shot through her lower half. One hand splashed down to soothe her tummy.

“I’m sorry, Edalyn...” she whispered. They always elbowed each other to get the others’ attention, but never _hard_ when they knew the other was having _cramps_... Lilith had been so frustrated with her! But that was no excuse. She had _deserved_ Eda’s anger after that. She had let her make fun of her... Well, to a point. She had given her the rest of the _cake_...

_“Look what I got us,” Eda showed the box under her cloak. Lilith gasped._

_“But it’s a Tuesday!”_

_“So?” Eda gave her that happy, defiant look. “Get some forks.”_

The memory faded. They had eaten it in the garden, behind the terbium tree.

It was always the same cake. Sometimes it had been just _because_ it was Tuesday. Sometimes it had been because someone had been mean. Sometimes because something good had happened. And sometimes it had been because Eda had been sent to her room without dinner.

Lilith had bought the cake yesterday. On a whim. She had just seen it in the window as she was walking home. The old woman behind the counter had lit up as she gave her order.

“Do give my best to Miss Eda,” she had said. And Lilith had nodded, only then realizing it was the same woman who had served her and Eda years ago. She looked much shorter now, Lilith had thought as she went home. Then she realized that the woman hadn’t shrunk. It was _she_ who had grown.

 _Has it really been that long?_ She thought again, sitting there in her bath. She lay back with a sad sigh, her body relaxing again.

She remembered looking at the back of Eda’s head as she had laid in Eda’s tub a few days ago. How, through the rising water vapor and fog of pain, she had seen her dry her eyes and heard her sniffle. She hadn’t made any snippy remarks during the whole bath... thing. It was only when she’d come back after going downstairs that the snipes and jabs had started up again.

_She must have been really worried about me..._

Eventually, Lilith got out of the tub. When she reached for her hairbrush, something poked her palm. She gasped and flinched away in alarm - there was a little _clatter -_ she looked down at the sink. A tiny blue green bottle spun on the marble next to her brush. She picked it up, then her mouth fell open.

_This is Eda’s Orcilae potion, what... How..._

She stared at the little bottle for a long moment.

Obviously Eda had left it there. She hadn’t dropped it - it had been placed where she knew Lilith would find it; on top of her hair brush. Eda knew Lilith always brushed her hair before bed.

The only time Eda had been in the master bathroom was when she showered and changed - Lilith hadn’t seen her put the potion there - but she had stepped out a few times... She let out a disbelieving breath and turned the bottle in her fingers.

Eda had left her the potion... _after_ the naked incident. After the elbowing. For Lilith to find later. Before bed. When... when she brushed her hair...

Her vision blurred.

####  ********* **

Lilith slept well that night.

* * *

**Author's Note:**

> Luz was absolutely right; Eda and Lilith love each other so, so much :)
> 
> Yes, Eda and Luz’s dinner was peas and cake. Yes, the peas that were on Luz’s head. Waste not, want not. 
> 
> *This is a quote from Gravity Falls, said by Grunkle Stan in the episode Little Dipper. Alex Hirsch, creator of Gravity Falls voices Grunkle Stan and The Owl House’s favorite boo-boo buddy, King.
> 
> I thought about what kind of period products Boiling Isle residents might use, and discussed it with some friends. Reusable cloth pads was the consensus. The kind you, well, can wash and then reuse. This is obviously a very personal item, but in an emergency, you might lend or give one of your own to someone else. A clean one, obviously. Giving someone a brand new one might be preferable, if at all possible. But any port in a storm, as it were. 
> 
> I avoided making the basic period product a magical item because we simply don’t have enough information about the magic used on the Boiling Isles yet. And I wanted to avoid the whole tired fantasy trope of “the ladies take a potion and then they don’t get periods”. Don’t get me started on magic belly button charms that also double as a not 100% accurate contraceptive thing - really don’t get me started on that. Let my people bleed.
> 
> Obviously I had to call it (the period product) moon cloth because World of Warcraft. For the uninitiated: [Moon cloth] was a crafting material that characters with the Tailoring profession could make. It was really valuable in the original version of the game. The ability had a massive four day cooldown. Moon cloth was (and can still be) used to make equipment (gear) for squishy magic users, aka clothies, aka warlocks, mages and priests. And hunters, obviously. QQ more.
> 
> About the slap mentioned by Eda and Lilith: it’s a thing. It’s less common nowadays, but it absolutely happens. It’s a tradition. When the mother or grandmother of the young person in question finds out about their first period, she gives them a ‘firm tap’ “for luck” or simply because it’s... tradition. Hopefully she then explains why and there’s a bonding moment, but sometimes it’s just a literal slap in the face. This is the experience Eda and Lilith had. 
> 
> Last note - this is an AU, obviously. The comment Lilith made in her first appearance in the show, that she came from “humble beginnings” kind of clashes with the Clawthornes having a manor of their own, but I really like the idea, so I’m sticking with it. 
> 
> Please review! I’m really interested to hear your thoughts on the developing relationships :) and thank you so much to everyone who has read and commented on my other The Owl House fics, the response has been so positive!


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